Beginning in July, Cooking Channel will be rocking a brand-new Spice Girl. Her name is Bal Arneson and she is our Spice Goddess…

Ever feel daunted when trying to craft with the perfect blend of spices for your dish? Wouldn’t it be cool to have a spice sherpa who has been there and can demystify the entire process? Beginning Saturday, July 10th, Bal Arneson will share how you can make dishes that are deeply flavorful and nuanced, using aromatic spices and seasonings.

7 Things To Know About Bal Arneson, the Spice Goddess:

Bal and mango friend

1)

She grew up in a small village outside Punjab, India.

2) Bal first learned to cook, over coals in a clay BBQ pit, when she was 7.

3) Philosophy: No one should spend more than 25 minutes in the kitchen to make healthy wonderful Indian meals.

4) First Hollywood crush: Captain Kirk (William Shatner) when she was 15.

Captain James T. Kirk, contemplative…

5)

Outside the kitchen, Bal likes hiking, camping and rock climbing with her family.

Directions
In a skillet, add oil and heat on medium to high heat for few seconds until oil is hot.
Add garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, cumin powder, pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook on medium to high heat for 15 seconds.
Add tomatoes and water and cook for 3 minutes. Stir regularly.
Add chickpeas and cook for 1 minute.
Serve on steamed asparagus. Enjoy!!

hi linda i am with you on a new chef . did you hear if Bal going to have a book or not ? i keep looking in the book stores but not yet. bet in time she will . but i guess you and i would like to have it now. well happy cooking . janice

Foodnetwork freak and Rita
India is a country of paradox. You can have no water but you can have access to satellite TV! Btw, India had only one state run TV channel which had national programming in the 1980s. Star Trek was shown on Sunday morning ( along with a few other "English" programs like famous five, Sherlock Holmes, Cosmos by Carl Sagan). Regardless of whether you were in a village or city that is what you got! So, if you had a TV (or your neighbor, or your community) you absolutely to could have seen it, whether you understood what was spoken is a different thing all together =)!